


Doves Don't Live Forever

by DeckofDragons



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Death of a pet, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post War, Pyro's a good boyfriend/husband, Sadness, Sort Of, There's comfort though, request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 04:24:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18380900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeckofDragons/pseuds/DeckofDragons
Summary: Unfortunately, despite Medic's best efforts he can't keep his beloved birds around forever.





	Doves Don't Live Forever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Axis_intercept](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Axis_intercept/gifts).



> Another thing I offered to do for Axis, if given a prompt. :)
> 
> (I actually ended up doing two fics based off the prompts she gave me. The second one is happier, I promise, and goes out tomorrow.)

Even with his near godlike knowledge and abilities there was only so much Medic could do. He’d managed to bring back Archimedes two times now, a _marvelous_ feat, but… there would be no third time. He’d tried for _hours_ and… it wasn’t happening this time. It was over, time to call it quits no matter how much he’d rather not.

He let out a heavy sigh as he switched off life support machine, cutting off its hum and filling the room with silence. He then pushed the medi-gun attachment out of the way and looked down at Archimedes laid out on his lab table. He was the last one. The others doves had died one by one over the last year since he and Pyro had moved here after the war had ended, all due to old age. Each one had hurt more than the last but Archimedes had always been his favourite. … Now he was gone too, no more birds.

All that was left to do was the funeral that he and Pyro had performed for all the others. An ultimately useless gesture but it had always made Medic feel a bit better anyway. He couldn’t possibly imagine this time would be the same though, it hurt too much.

A soft knock came on his lab door. He lifted his head to look but didn’t call to invite Pyro in or get up to answer. He looked back down after a second or too with a sigh.

The knock came again a short time later and he ignored it this time. It was followed by another one and then the sound of the door opening. There was silence for a while before…

“Did it work?” Pyro whispered.

“No.”

“I’m sorry.”

Medic sighed and shook his head. He should get up and comfort Pyro, _he_ loved the birds too and thus would also be saddened by this news. But Medic just didn’t have the energy to for once, his body felt heavy and tired, like even standing up from his stool would be too difficult.

Warm arms wrapped around him as Pyro hugged him from behind, squeezing him tight to his chest. “I’m sorry,” he said again in a choked whisper. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Medic lifted a hand to touch Pyro’s arm on his chest.

“…I’m sorry… I don’t know what else to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything dear.” Him just being there was more than enough and more than Medic could ever ask for.

They stayed there like that for a long while, Medic taking what little comfort he could from Pyro pressed against his back and hugging him tight. He felt too exhausted to even cry, that would probably come later though, during the funeral most likely, it often did. Whether or not Pyro was crying was hard to say, if so, he did so silently, no sobbing.

“What time is it?” Medic eventually managed, his voice feeling hoarse and dry in this throat. He’d been working for a long time and there were no windows in his lab so the time of day was impossible for him to even guess.

“Almost dawn, I think,” Pyro responded. “You should… probably get some sleep.” Probably but…

“I don’t think I can sleep.” That was the _last_ thing he wanted to do right now. He… didn’t want to do anything though so that wasn’t saying much.

“I know but… maybe you should you try. You… might feel better. And uh… we could hold the funeral after breakfast when you wake up. So… could you come to bed and try to get some rest… for me?”

“Fine but… only for you.” There wasn’t anyone else in the world that Medic would even be willing to move for right now. And Pyro was right, they couldn’t sit here mourning forever, life had to go on… eventually.

After a few more seconds of hesitation, Pyro removed his arms and stepped back. Medic already missed his embrace but stood anyway. Before leaving the lab though he quickly prepared the shoebox-sized coffin for Archimedes – gotten for just this eventuality, even knowing it had been coming didn’t make it hurt any less – and gently placed his body within it so they wouldn’t have to later. He accepted Pyro’s offered hand as they exited the lab into their little home that now felt just a tiny bit emptier.

Pyro lead the way to their room. He was already dressed in his pajamas so it was just a matter of getting Medic dressed in his own sleepwear. Thankfully it didn’t take long, Pyro helped, and they were soon in bed.

Medic cuddled as close as he could, pressing his face into Pyro chest to feel and hear his breath and the way his heart beat. _He_ at least was still alive and well, he’d always be there, no matter what. Pyro let him, wordlessly returning his embrace, even gently petting his head ever now and then.

He was warm, comfortable, and lying down in the dark with Pyro but unsurprisingly, sleep still alluded him. Oh well, lying here with Pyro was better then sitting in his lab that was now so empty and quiet, bereft of birdsong.

“Look at it this way,” Pyro eventually whispered, still gently stroking the back of Medic’s head, “Archimedes and all the birdies lived long, happy lives because of you. Certainly, _much_ longer and happier than they would’ve had without you. And… they all passed peacefully and loved. A bird couldn’t ask for a better life, right?”

Medic nodded, sniffling as his eyes started to tear up at last. He’d known they’d die eventually when he’d adopted them – which by itself was a bit of a freak accident – he’d known this was coming. That’s what owning pets was all about though, giving them happiest life possible. And he had done that, he’d always made sure his birds were happy, Pyro had helped him with that the last few years even though they hadn’t like him at first.

“And if there’s a heaven,” Pyro continued, still whispering, “that’s where they are now and they’re happy. So… you don’t need to be too, _too_ sad, okay?”

Medic nodded again. “Thank you.” Honestly, hearing that made him feel a bit better, not much but… enough. He’d get through his mourning period eventually and then maybe it was time to get more birds or a different kind of pet. That wasn’t something to be thought about right now though, he’d take his time getting through it and let Pyro comfort him. As long as he had Pyro, everything would be okay eventually.


End file.
